The 10th Kingdom ll: The Next Generation ~ Style 2
by Lilian Portia
Summary: This is about what happens in the Kingdoms after 18 years. King Wendell has a 16 year old daughter, and Wolf and Virginia have an 18 year old son.
1. An Unexpected Visitor

*Disclaimer: Okay, um...I don't own any of the first T10K characters or the setting, but I do own Elizabeth, her mom (when she comes into the story eventually), David, Ethan, Stratton, Chas, and any other characters I decide to add in. You know what's mine and what isn't, don'tcha? Please r/r.

~*~ Chapter 1 ~*~

Princess Elizabeth peeked in the open door of her father's study. He was having another dull meeting. She didn't want to interrupt, but she was leaving, and he'd be very angry if she didn't ask for his permission first.

"Father, I'm riding over to the 1st Kingdom, okay? Goodbye!" She turned and started walking down the hall so he wouldn't have time to stop her, but he was used to this.

"Elizabeth." King Wendell said, knowing he wouldn't have to go after her, or raise his voice.

Sighing, she turned and walked back in. "Yes Father?" She knew what would come next, and she was dreading it.

"Why are you riding to the 1st Kingdom?"

"Well, Cinderella invited me to tea again."

"Again? Are you planning on riding alone?"

"Father, I don't want to bother anyone with having to escort me back and forth. I can go alone. It's fine."

"No it isn't. And you're not bothering anybody. It's in their job descriptions. How long are you planning to stay?"

"I'm not quite sure, Father. That's another reason I was planning on riding alone. You know I never can tell with Cinderella. We always start talking, and it's hard for either of us to stop."

"You may go, but you must take Ethan and Stratton with you."

"Ethan and Strat? But Father, I'll be perfectly fine alone." 

"No, I will not allow it." He turned to a man standing by the door, apparently waiting for orders. "Tell Ethan and Stratton to prepare the carriage and horses. They will accompany her to Cinderella's palace. Understood?"

"Yes, Your Highness."

The man turned and walked out, and Wendell turned back to his daughter. He knew she wouldn't fight him on it, especially in front of all of his advisors. She didn't like to make scenes.

"You may go now. _With_ Ethan and Stratton."

"Yes Father," she said in a small voice, admitting defeat.

She turned in her pale blue, silk dress and walked out. She waited outside the doors of the palace for her friends, Ethan and Stratton, to bring the carriage. They did this often enough. They were the stable boys, and since she often liked to go have tea with Cinderella, they had gotten to know each other pretty well.

~*~

When they came around to the front of the palace, Ethan jumped down from the front seat and opened the door for her. She glared at him. He knew she hated formal things like that. She thought they were ridiculous. She had even refused her own, personal maid. That was one of the few things she had really argued with her parents about. She said that if she wanted something done, she could do it herself. So, after a long period of arguing they decided to try it her way.

She stepped into the carriage and sat down. She folded her arms and pouted. 

"You can't be that way throughout the entire trip, Elizabeth. You're no fun like that," he said, and mocked her, exaggerating her pout.

"Leave her alone, Ethan. You know she never stops pouting until we get into the outer provinces," Stratton said as he hopped into the carriage, trying not to laugh.

Elizabeth looked up in surprise. "I thought you were driving, Strat."

"Hey, look, Ethan! She stopped pouting!" he said teasingly and turned to her. "I decided to let the real coachman handle it, Elizabeth."

She sighed, and looked out her window, watching the familiar passing scenery. "I wish you two would stop calling me Elizabeth. It's so formal."

"But Elizabeth is your name. Would you rather we called you Princess Elizabeth, or Your Highness?" Ethan asked.

"No. But couldn't you call me Liz, or something?"

"Elizabeth, do we have to talk about this again? We used to call you Beth, remember? We got into the habit of it, and then King Wendell heard us, and we got a lecture that was so boring it was worse than watching grass grow," Stratton reminded her yet again.

~*~

They stopped for the night at a small inn. Because King Wendell demanded one of them to be awake all night in front of her door (to be sure there was no danger), Ethan and Stratton set up a table there so they could play cards, and neither got any sleep.

The next morning, Elizabeth opened her door to find them sitting there, looking like zombies, as she knew she would.

"Good morning, you two."

"Morning," Ethan barely managed to answer.

"Why don't you get some sleep, and I'll go get us some breakfast."

She knew they wouldn't realize what she was saying, because they were half asleep. Otherwise, they never would have let her go by herself. However, they _were_ half asleep, so they quickly agreed. They moved the table back to the common room of the inn, and went into the room they had rented for the night to get some sleep.

Elizabeth walked out of the inn, and started walking out of the village. There were too many people there, and she needed to think. She had just gotten about a hundred meters away from the village when she ran into something that was . . . running? When she was finally able to get up, she stood and looked down to see what it was. It was a boy. A boy that looked to be her own age, but dressed in strange clothing. He was wearing--of all things!--odd, tan-colored pants, and a white shirt under an open, button-down, pale-blue plaid shirt.

She knelt down beside him, staring, and then he opened his eyes and stared back at her. She wasn't sure what to say, but she felt certain that this boy--whoever he was--was from the 10th Kingdom.

He sat up and put his hand on his head, as if it hurt, and started asking questions at once. "Who are you? Where am I? How did I get here? What happened?"

"Slow down. I'm Elizabeth. You're in an outer province of my father's kingdom. The 4th one. I don't know how you got here. You came out of nowhere while I was walking and knocked me down. And fell down yourself."

"Did you say your father's kingdom?" he asked her, bewildered.

"Yes. King Wendell. I believe you are from the 10th Kingdom? Or . . . what did Virginia call it? New York, I believe?"

"Yeah. New York. I was walking home from school through Central Park, and the next thing I know . . ." He made a gesture with his hand as if he didn't know how to finish.

"Central Park? Yes, I understand that's where the other side of the mirror is. Virginia can explain it to you better than I can, if you'd like me to introduce you to her. We'd have to turn around, but I think we're ahead of schedule. We could make it just in time to the 1st Kingdom, and Cinderella and I can still have tea." She finished her sentence talking more to herself than to the boy.

"Okay . . . Um, Cinderella?"

"Yes. Queen Cinderella. Ruler of the 1st Kingdom? Oh, yes. You're from the 10th Kingdom. Well, Virginia can tell you all about it. And Father has the other mirror so that you can get back."

"F--Father?" She nodded. "King Wendell?" She nodded to him again, beginning to get confused. What was he so nervous about? "Um . . . Okay. Are you sure it's no trouble?"

"Oh, I'm positive. I always leave at least a day early. My father always makes me bring the stable boys along to be sure that I'm safe." She grinned at him before finishing. "They stay awake at my door all night long, I wake up and tell them to go to sleep and that I'll get some breakfast, they sleep until noon, and when I get back they have lunch ordered, and they lecture me for telling them that when I knew they were half asleep."

"Oh."

They walked into the village without speaking. It was about noon when they finally reached the inn. They walked into the common room and found Ethan and Stratton eating lunch. When they had finally gotten used to Elizabeth's trick, they decided to order lunch while they waited instead of pacing, for she was always back by noon.

"Elizabeth!" Stratton and Etahn shouted in unison. They had both taken notice of the unusually dressed boy walking beside her. The boy stopped dead in his tracks. He knew they were looking at him strangely, but he didn't know why. They were the ones dressed weird, no matter what they said. 

Elizabeth grabbed his arm and nearly had to drag him to the table Ethan and Stratton were sitting at. "Ethan, Strat, we are going to turn around. I ran into this boy outside of the village. He's from the 10th Kingdom. We'll take him to Virginia and Wolf, and they can take over from there."

She smiled, because she knew they couldn't refuse her. She was the princess, after all. She also knew they would despise having a peculiar boy along with them. He wasn't any danger, of course, but they were hesitant to let anyone near Elizabeth. Partly because King Wendell was very protective of her, also.

Ethan and Strat exchanged annoyed glances and turned to the boy.

"What's your name? Or do you have one?" Ethan asked him, not even trying to be polite.

"Oh! Sorry. I'm Charles. But my friends call me Chas. Only my parents call me Charles. The other people call me Charlie," he told them nervously.

Elizabeth smiled at him. "See? I'm not the only one that hates formal names. Chas, you can call me Liz."

Ethan and Stratton exchanged glances again.

"You may call the princess 'Your Highness,' _Charles_," Stratton told him sharply.

"No. You may call me Liz, _Chas_," she told him, glaring at Stratton.

They ate in silence, Chas looking at his plate while Ethan and Strat glared at him. Liz watched all of them,wondering what exactly would happen next. This "Chas" person certainly was interesting enough, even if he was . . . different.

When they were finally back in the carriage, turning around to Wolf and Virginia's Bed-n-Breakfast (to the coachman's confusion), Ethan sat by Liz, and Strat sat in front of her. She desperately wanted to ask questions about the 10th Kingdom, but Ethan and Strat were in no mood for dealing with her "rude" inquiries.

When they got to the Bed-n-Breakfast, however, Ethan and Strat waited in the carriage, while Liz--who had finally had to command it-- went inside with Chas to introduce him. She knew Virginia would ask him about everything.

~*~

__

Knock, knock.

Elizabeth had told Chas to wait around the corner, until she went inside. Then he could sit on the porch until she told him to come in. She wanted to talk to Virginia about him first.

Wolf opened the door. "Elizabeth! Here to see Virginia? She's not here." He scratched his head, in his usual habit.

"Oh . . . Wolf?" she asked, not sure if she wanted to talk to him.

"That's my name."

"When you met Virginia . . . you know . . . did you . . . well, what I mean to say is . . . you see, there's this-"

"Liz."

"Yes?"

"Just ask."

"Right. Can we talk . . . inside for a moment?"

"Where are my manners? Of course, come right on in. Is there someone else here? Someone . . . from the 10th Kingdom?" he asked, sniffing the air.

"Sort of," Elizabeth told him with a guilty look.

"Oh. I see. I can meet him after we finish talking, right?"

"Yes, Wolf. Please, can we just go?"

"Come on in, Liz."

They walked in, Liz praying that Chas hadn't heard anything. Wolf sat down in the recliner Tony had given him for his birthday, and Liz sat down on the sofa.

"Wolf?"

"Yes, Liz?" he asked expectantly.

"His name's Charles. His parents are the only ones that call him that, though, and his friends call him Chas, he likes that best, and the other people call him Charlie, and he may be dressed peculiarly, but he is so very handsome, and he came from the same place Virginia did, and what's school?" She stopped for a breath.

"Cripes . . . Virginia said school was a place where you have to read books and learn things to get a . . . a . . . an education. That's what she does with David. I think she calls it homeschooling."

"Somebody say my name?"

David had walked out of his room just in time to hear her ask what school was. Being the son of Wolf and Virginia, he was surrounded by attention--and he loved it. He was the opposite of Liz, though he hated formal things, too. It was the one thing they agreed on. But even so, they were close. After all, they had grown up together. David was like an older brother to Liz, and he picked on her all the time.

Liz saw him and turned beet red, hoping he hadn't heard everything. Neither she nor Wolf had expected him to "appear" like that.

"David. We were just talking. About nothing in particular. That's all. Nothing special," Wolf told him. He was horrid at lying, but so was Liz. That's because they both hated it.

"That's right, Davey. Nothing special. Nothing at all. Why don't you go . . . torment the shepherdesses? Doesn't that sound like fun? Only you might want to go out the back door. There's a . . . thing outside your front door. Not very . . . pretty," Liz lied.

"What are you two talking about? And what's outside the front door?"

He started walking to the door, and Liz jumped to block it. "You really don't want to go out that way! As I said--not very pretty," Liz said with an innocent smile.

He pushed her away, and before she could stop him, he opened the door. "What are you talking about, Liz? There's nothing out there." David had a confused expression on his face when she looked up at him.

"There's not? I mean, of course there's not," she smiled at him, and tried to think of something to tell him. "I was just trying to find out if you really trust me."

"Sure you were. What was out there, really?" David looked at her questioningly.

"Nothing, David. Now weren't you on your way out?" Wolf asked him. He always tried to help Liz get out of trouble because she was always helping him get out of binds with King Wendell and Tony.

"Yeah, yeah." David grabbed his basketball, and walked out the door.

"Whew," Wolf and Liz let out sighs of relief.

"Thanks, Wolf," Liz said, feeling very relieved.

"No problem, Liz. Now, what exactly were you trying to . . . ask . . . me? Liz?"

Elizabeth had suddenly gotten a terrified expression on her face which was getting more horrified by the second. "Wolf?"

"Yeah?"

"If he's not out there, then where is he?"

"Well, he could be . . . or maybe he . . . or . . . Liz, we might go try to find him. He might just be with Ethan and Stratton."

"What?! Oh, I hadn't even thought of that! If he's with them . . . Oh, no!" Liz groaned.They would surely give him a lecture or two. At the very least.

"C'mon, Liz, I'll help you look for him."

"Thanks, Wolf."

They started out the door and immediately heard David playing basketball. They walked out to the carriage to ask Ethan and Strat where Chas had gone, but the carriage was empty.

"Excuse me, sir?" Liz tried to get the coachman's attention.

"Yes, Your Highness?" He was ready and willing to do anything for the beloved Princess Elizabeth.

"Did Ethan and Stratton go somewhere with Charles?" she asked, but when she saw his questioning glance added, "Charles is the peculiarly dressed, yellow-haired boy we brought with us."

"Yes, I believe I saw them go that way with young David." He pointed in the direction of David's basketball court, the only one in the whole of the nine kingdoms.

Thank you, sir," Liz said politely, and headed that way worriedly, jogging as best she could in her full-skirted dress and slippers that certainly weren't made for running.

Wolf followed her, huffing and puffing. _I'm too old for this,_ he thought. _I haven't run a mile since before David was born._

When Elizabeth got down to David's basketball court, she saw him playing ball with Chas, Ethan, and Strat. She stopped dead in her tracks. She wasn't trying to sneak up on the boys, but she hadn't wanted to call as much attention to herself as she had. The boys abruptly ceased their game and turned around to stare at her. They could see the look on her face, and they--even Chas, who had known her for so short a time--knew what it meant.

But before she could say a word, Wolf came jogging down the hill toward them. When he got there they all just looked at him. He was trying to catch his breath, and all was silent for a few minutes.

"So Liz . . . I take it this is . . . the boy . . . you were telling me about," he said, a little confused.

"Yes . . . so, I see you met Charles, David. Since you all know each other already, I think you have some explaining to do about why you scared me half to death," Liz said, standing up straight and tall, with her arms folded and tapping her foot.

"Um . . . well . . ." David couldn't seem to think of anything to tell her quite yet.

"David! Um? Well? Um is not a word. And 'well' will just not do to get you out of this one, David."

"Geez, you sound like my mom," Chas mumbled.

"Pardon me, Charles, did you say something?" Liz knew what he said must have been bad, otherwise Ethan, Stratton, and David wouldn't be trying so hard not to laugh that they were turning the crimson color of the roses blooming on the bush outside her window, right beside her balcony of the palace.

"Nope."

"Nope? Oh, my. You're worse than David! I'm tired of this. I'm going to have tea with Cinderella. You four can stay and play this silly game if you'd like. Goodbye. I shall possibly see you when I get back. Charles, if you are not here when I get back, farewell, it was nice meeting you."

Liz turned around and started walking calmly to the carriage as if she had nothing on her mind, while all the while, she was thinking about a million things at once. She knew her father wouldn't like her going to the 1st Kingdom alone, but she wouldn't get into all that much trouble. She was Daddy's little girl. But Ethan, Stratton, and David would be in for trouble when she got back and told her father what had happened. Wolf would be in trouble, too, but she'd get him out of it by explaining to her father that he didn't really know what was going on, and he would've stopped her if he wasn't trying to get his breath back. He was a wolf, but he wasn't Superman. 

She hadn't gotten far when she heard the boys discussing something, then she heard the basketball again. She rolled her eyes and told the coachman to take her to the 1st Kingdom. He looked slightly confused, because he knew how protective King Wendell was of his daughter, but he knew better than to question the princess.


	2. Look Out, New York

~*~ Chapter 2 ~*~

"So here I am, and I am so flustered, I don't know what to do," Liz finished telling her story and looked at Cinderella. Her older friend was very good with advice, especially over tea. She didn't seem too sociable normally, but for some unexplained reason, she and Elizabeth had taken to each other when Elizabeth was just a toddler.

"Well, what is the problem exactly?"

"Well, I think I . . . perhaps . . . I'm not quite sure," Liz was a White. She knew, but she didn't understand, didn't know how to put it into words.

"You think perhaps you what?" Cinderella asked her. After a long pause, she decided to help Liz out. "Elizabeth, do you believe in love at first sight?"

Liz sighed. "Yes . . . How do you always know?"

"I can see it in your eyes. You have a very expressive face, you know. It doesn't take a genius to figure out when a White has fallen in love," with that Cinderella smiled at her, but Liz just blushed and looked at her distorted reflection in the silver tea pitcher.

"But there's more to it, is there not?" she asked Liz.

"Yes, there is."

"Well go on, child. I'm not getting any younger."

"Well, I'm known as Snow White's great-granddaughter, and that's perfectly fine, but no one really knows me as anyone else. I want to be remembered. How can I do that? I can't do anything important, and I just . . . I don't know. I feel overshadowed by my family. Every generation has been so memorable. And look at my name. Elizabeth. That certainly sticks out in your mind, doesn't it?"

"Oh, Elizabeth, it's not your name that matters. It's the person that makes the name, not the name that makes the person."

"I know, but it undoubtedly won't help me at all. I want to stand out. Be noticed. Like you were at the ball when you met the prince. Or shall I say King? Well, it doesn't really matter. I'll just go on like I always do. But, besides that, you're the only one that really knows me. That really understands me, and I . . . David, and Ethan, and Stratton are great, but I can't be oblivious to the fact that I can't talk to them about anything. They don't understand. And, Cinderella, Charles is going to be gone by the time I get back."

"Don't worry Elizabeth. If it's meant to be, it _will_ work out."

"Cinderella, do you think . . . Oh, no, he would never . . . But it would be terribly interesting . . . But then again . . . Although I usually get my way . . . Of course, I don't quite . . ."

"Liz? Would it help if you spoke in complete sentences? To me?"

"Oh, yes, I'm awfully sorry. I was just thinking, it would be great fun to visit this place called New York. Oh, and I would utterly adore school. I'm sure of it! Do you think I could talk Father into letting me stay there for a while? Maybe Virginia, and Wolf, and David could come with me and we could stay at the house they own there."

"Well, I don't think he would like it, but if you're certain this is what you'd want, then you'd most likely get it. But don't let me talk you into talking him into it. I don't particularly love the idea myself. Although, it might be a very good experience for you. Hmmm . . . I would advise you to speak to Virginia about New York, and school, and if you are positive it's what you want, then you could try to talk to King Wendell. If you speak calmly and assure him that you've thought it through, and that it would be a good thing for you, he just might allow it."

"Oh, do you think so, Cinderella? That would be so divine. School, and New York, and Chas. Terribly wonderful."

"Well, you had better get going, hadn't you?"

"Oh, thank you, Cinderella! Goodbye!" Liz called as she hurried out of the room. 

Cinderella watched her go, and hoped that Elizabeth would get her wish, and her love. She hoped also that she wouldn't have too much trouble on the way.

~*~

On her way back to her father's kingdom, Liz began to think about why this had to happen to her, and so quickly. Chas just had to come and ruin everything, didn't he? She wanted to go to the 10th Kingdom, but how would she prove to her father that it was a good thing for her? How would she prove to herself that it was a good thing for her? She knew she wanted to do this, but she wasn't sure why. Was it really such a bad thing to be formal? A personal maid did sound nice. Not that she couldn't do anything she wanted to. King Wendell said she would argue with a brick wall. Which didn't make any sense to her. He also said that she could persuade a troll to burn up their best pair of shoes. She didn't understand that well, either. Everyone knew that trolls didn't exist anymore, right?

When they finally got to Wolf and Virginia's Bed-n-Breakfast, Liz told the coachman to go straight to the palace without her. The kindly old man, still very bewildered, obeyed her reluctantly. Liz stepped up to the door and knocked, knowing that David wouldn't be there, for she could hear his basketball.

Opening the door, Tony looked at Liz in surprise, but Liz was so caught up in her thoughts that she didn't even notice that he was there.

"Hey Liz!"

"Tony! Hello! May I speak with you? I was thinking about something, and I might need a little help," she asked, smiling at him innocently.

"Uh-oh. Thinking again? Don't hurt yourself," he said teasingly.

"Honestly, Tony, I really need help. _Puh--lea--se_?" she looked at him with the puppy-dog face Wolf had just taught her to make.

"WOLF!"

Wolf walked in, looking like he knew he was probably in trouble. "Hi Tony," he said, smiling at him innocently.

"So you taught her that one, too, didn't you? And that pathetic little puppy face, didn't you?"

Wolf scratched the side of his head and said, "Huff puff, I don't know what you're talking about, Tony. Have you seen David lately? You should go talk to him." He laughed nervously, a sure sign that he was lying.

"Oh, get outta here."

"No, wait Wolf! Could you please stay? I might need your help, too. Is Virginia home?"

"Nope, my little lambkins isn't back yet, but she should be back soon." As he said this, Wolf's wife, Virginia, stepped in the door. "There's my little porkchop!" Wolf said as he went to greet her.

"Hi everyone. Elizabeth did you know Wendell is looking everywhere for you? Your parents are worried," Virginia scolded.

"No, I didn't know, but the coachman ought to be back by now. He knows where I am."

"Well, just the same, we should send David down to tell them," Virginia remarked.

"What a wonderful idea, Sweetums! I'll go tell him," Wolf said, on his way out the door. He was always ready to do anything for Virginia.

~*~

"All right, you might want to sit down for this," Elizabeth said, knowing she would never really be able to prepare them for what was coming next.

"Okay, we're sitting. What is it, Liz?" Tony asked impatiently.

"I've been thinking a lot about this, and . . . I want to go the 10th Kingdom."

The three of them just sat there staring at her. Finally, Wolf came to his senses. "Liz! I don't like that place! You know that's why we live here instead of--" He shuddered. "--there. It's _really_ scary," he finished, whimpering.

"But Tony lives there! And you all have a house there that you go live in during the summer! Why couldn't you guys go there for a year, and then I can stay with you. It would be safer that way, and my father wouldn't mind me going so much, and David and I can go to school! _Real school!_ It would be a good experience for me, wouldn't it? Besides, David's been there; I want to go too!" She used her puppy dog face again.

"You know, she might have a point."

"Dad!" Virginia cried. "How could you say that? She has no idea what she'd be getting into."

"Huff puff! Virginia, I think Tony's right!"

"Well that's a first! Elizabeth. Dad. Wolf. I refuse to let you talk me into this. We are not letting Elizabeth go to the 10th Kingdom. Even with us."

~*~

"Wendell, it would be a good experience for her. Just think about it this way. The real problems Dad and I have had in New York involved the 9 Kindoms. And it started with you jumping through that mirror and bumping into me," Virginia argued, accusingly.

"Yes, but it's very dangerous. I don't like the idea at all," Wendell said, his face starting to turn red, he was so angry.

"Wendell, you won't even let her out of the palace walls without a chaperone. Besides, Wolf and David would be there."

"That's what I'm afraid of."

"I'll be there, too. You trust me don't you?"

"Of course I trust you, Virginia, but--"

"Then prove it."

~*~

The traveling mirror was locked in a room in the castle. It would have been in Wolf and Virginia's home, but they wouldn't have the security they needed. Besides, they weren't sure they trusted David enough yet, so they had the one door leading to the room heavily guarded.

When Elizabeth got back from the 1st Kingdom--she had to go tell Cinderella the good news--she packed her hairbrush and her diary. She didn't wear makeup because Wendell wouldn't allow it, and she didn't really need it, anyway. She would have packed extra clothes, but Virginia had told her that Liz would borrow some of her clothes until they got to the 10th Kingdom and could get to a mall. Whatever that was.

When she finished packing, she opened her door, and David was standing there about to knock. "Hello, David."

"Hey, I've gotta talk to you." He stepped in her room, ignoring the guards' protests, and closed the door.

"What is it, David? You look upset."

"I want to give you a few pointers. I know I haven't been to school, but I've been around these people. I know most of 'em." He sighed and ran his fingers through his hair. "You're smart, you know? There are gonna be people who want to be your friend so you'll help 'em get good grades. And there are gonna be guys who might ask you out. Now, I've gotta tell ya, this will happen, believe me. I'm not gonna lie to you, you're beautiful. And since you're smart, too, guys are gonna want to date you. But some guys are just . . . jerks. Not like me." He smiled. "They won't see the sweet, caring you that I know is inside there somewhere. They won't treat you like a princess for long. They're not gonna know you really are a princess--you're not gonna have guards and chaperones around you all the time. Listen, I just want you to know that if you ever need somebody to talk to, I'll be there. And if you're ever in trouble, I know people. Oh, and I'll have to tell them you're my cousin, staying with us for a while, so that's the story, okay, Liz?" He walked over to the door, but before he closed it again and walked away, he turned to her and said, "I also know Chas. I'll find him for ya."

She gathered her things and walked out of the door towards the mirror room. _I had no idea David knew Chas. Wait, how did he know I'd want to find him? Was it that obvious? Does that mean Chas knows? Oh my. This is going to be an interesting journey._


	3. Suspicions

~*~ Chapter 3 ~*~

When they finally got through the mirror to the 10th Kingdom, they landed right in Central Park. Fortunately, Virginia had made Liz change into some of her clothes before they left. There was something going on in the park that day, some sort of game. Liz thought she faintly remembered David calling it baseball or . . . some kind of "ball." There were many people David's age there, and every single one of them heard the thud as she--who had less experience going through the mirror (since David, Virginia, Wolf, and Tony had been through several times, they knew how to "land" without making noise or causing a scene)--fell to the ground. She looked up and saw Chas running over. She blushed terribly as everyone started whispering and pointing at her as she scrambled to her feet. There were other boys starting over as Chas got to her.

"Liz? Are you okay? What are you doing here?"

"Chas! Hello. I . . . er . . . I am staying here with my . . . cousins. You know David," she said, nodding over to the crowd of girls surrounding her "cousin".

"Yeah. So, are you still mad?"

She laughed. "No."

"Good. I was starting to think you came here just to hunt me down and kill me."

She laughed again, but he was half right. "No, I don't think so. Of course, if you really think--"

"Nope!"

She grinned. "So what are all of you doing here?"

"We're playing baseball. You wanna play?"

She looked at him like he was crazy. "_Baseball_? I don't think so."

"Are you sure? It'd be fun." He smiled at her, and she thought she'd melt.

"I . . . I wouldn't know how," she whispered. "I've never even heard of it before."

"You've never heard of baseball?" he whispered back.

"No. Not until just now."

"Well, I'll teach you then."

"I don't think so. I'm not a very athletic person. My father never lets me play any sort of game in which you have to actually move."

"Well, your father's not here is he? C'mon, you'll get the hang of it." He kept grinning at her, and she was just about to give in.

"Liz, c'mon! We've gotta get goin," David shouted, already heading towards her.

She silently thanked him. One half of her mind was being sincere, but the other half was sarcastic. "Well, I suppose I ought to go, Chas. It was nice seeing you again. Goodbye!"

"Yeah, see you later!"

They smiled at each other one last time, and Liz walked off with David.

~*~

When they got to Wolf and Virginia's summer home, Virginia decided to cook them all dinner. Liz begged to help, but Virginia wouldn't let her.

"Oh, it can't be that hard, Virginia! Just let me do something! It's boring here. Or, I could take a little walk?" she asked, smiling innocently.

"A walk? Since when do you--Ohhh, were you thinking about taking a walk, to, oh, I don't know, say, the park?"

"Well, I might stop by," Liz grinned as she said this. They both knew that Chas and the others would still be there. Then she remembered that Chas had wanted her to play . . . what was it called? Baseball? Yes, baseball. "On the other hand, I think I'll just stay here."

"What? Why?" Virginia was so surprised that she nearly dropped her chef's knife on her foot--which would have really been a tragedy.

"I . . . I . . . have a headache."

"Uh . . . huh. Are you feeling all right?"

"I told you, I have a headache."

"Yeah. Just like I told David I would clean his room for him."

"Yeah. No. I . . . I just can't go see Chas, that's all."

"Why, Liz? You're in love with him, but you can't go see him? Why?" Virginia was still so confused that when she normally would have finished chopping up vegetables, she kept chopping them smaller and smaller and smaller . . . 

"Uh . . . Virginia, if you keep doing that, we aren't going to have anything left," Liz told her as she pointed to the cutting board. 

"Oh! Thank you Liz. But answer me, don't change the subject. It's a simple question, really."

"Well, he wanted me to play baseball with them, and I was about to say yes because I just couldn't say no to him, but David came over and said we had to go, and did you see how everyone was staring at me? It was rather embarassing."

"Liz, it's not like you're not used to people staring at you."

"Yes, but these are different people. They're Chas's friends, and I don't want to play baseball, either."

"All right, all right. Now, I think I know what you need. Tomorrow, we'll go to the mall and we'll get you some new clothes and some makeup. Of course, you don't need makeup, but look in the mirror, Liz. If you look like that without makeup, imagine what you'll look like with makeup."

"Really? Do you mean it? That would be wonderful!" She paused for a moment. "Virginia, when do we start school?"

"Whenever you want to. Monday through Friday."

"What's today?"

"Sunday."

"So tomorrow's Monday?"

"Yep."

"Let's start Tuesday! That way, we can go to the . . . What did you call it, Virginia? The mall?" Virginia nodded. "So, Tuesday?" Liz asked excitedly.

"Yes, but I better warn you, David's not going to like it."

"Oh well."

They laughed and Liz finally talked Virginia into letting her help. She did a surprisingly good job, and Virginia told her she'd have to work for her at the restaurant she and Wolf owned there. 

~*~

"Class, we have a new student today. This is Elizabeth White. Would you like to tell us a little about yourself, Elizabeth?"

"Myself? Uh . . ." Liz trailed off, seeing Chas's face in the classroom. He was staring at her, wondering what she was going to say. "You may call me Liz. I'm staying with my cousins, David Wolfson's family. I've just turned sixteen and . . . I'm a bit new to the city."

"Country girl, huh?" one of the boys in the class said. Another whistled. Liz blushed and saw Chas glare at them. They shut up.

"I also met Chas before I came here."

"Really? Would it be okay with the two of you if Charles showed you around, Liz?"

There was a long pause while they stared at each other, contemplating what Mrs. Roberts, their first hour teacher, had asked. Finally, Chas broke the silence. "It'd be okay with me, if it's okay with you and David."

"Really Chas? Would you?" she couldn't hide the delightment on her face and in her voice.

"Of course!" he remarked, realizing his obvious excitement only just after he said it. "I mean . . . . shouldn't you talk to David first?" Some of the girls glared at Liz.

"Why would I need to talk to David, Chas? He won't care."

"Well, it's just that he's kind of overprotective of you. He is your cousin, after all."

"Yes, but I know he won't mind you. Trust me," she replied with a smile.

"Okay. You can be my lab partner if you want to. I wasn't here yesterday when they picked, and everyone else already has somebody," he said, smiling back at her, and she almost melted.

"All right. Thank you Char--Chas."

"Well, then, that's settled. Liz, you can take that seat next to Chas, and we'll get started."

As Liz walked toward the back of the room where Chas was sitting he winked at her. She smiled, and as she was walking by, a girl stuck her foot out and tripped her. Liz was shocked. As a princess, people weren't rude to her. _Ever_. Fortunately, a millisecond before she hit the ground, she felt someone catch her. She looked up into his eyes. "Thank you, Chas."

"My pleasure, Liz." He helped her to her feet and glared at the girl who had tripped her.

~*~

"Chas, may I inquire about something?" Liz asked shyly, as she stared at the strange food on her lunch tray.

"Shoot babe."

"What. Is. This . . . 'stuff', as you say?"

"You've never had pizza before?" he asked, shocked.

"Pizza? Is that what you call it? It's very peculiar. How do you eat it?"

"With your hands," he said, as if she'd just asked him if half-wolves were real, or if trolls still existed. Obviously--and of course trolls don't still exist. She would have suspected that they had never existed, that they were just something Tony and Wolf had imagined up for hero stories--if she hadn't seen the medals and Virginia and her father hadn't backed up their story. "Liz, you gotta be careful."

She looked up at him, concerned. "What do you mean?"

"The guys, they don't care. They just know you look good. But the other girls are starting to suspect something."

"Oh," she said, sighing. "What are they beginning to . . . suspect?"

He nodded subtly toward a group of girls that had been in most of her classes. She noticed the girl who had tripped her before, and several others who had been very rude to her that day. Chas had pointed them out as the "popular girls". They were whispering and occasionally one of them would look toward her, glaring.

"They know something's up, Liz. Look at them. They're so jealous of you, if there weren't really something going on, they would find some way to make you look bad."

"Why would they ever do that?"

"Well, they're girls, that's what they do," Chas said simply, as if that explained everything. "No offense, I mean, you aren't like that, but you know." She shook her head, feeling very confused. "Oh. I guess when you're a princess, you don't really get a lot of that, do you?" She shook her head again. "Listen, just stick with me and you'll be fine. And if anyone gives you any trouble, just tell me, okay?" She nodded, smiling, and he added, "_Especially_ if it's a guy."

They laughed, and Liz finally caught on to the concept of pizza. That there was no concept, and it was meant to be eaten with your hands.

~*~

A/N: Yeah, I know, it's not very good. But give me a break, please? I'm just getting over a bad case of writer's block. I'll try to work more, but you know how it goes. I promise, I really really really will try.


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